Wave goodbye to rental shack purgatory. Burton’s program delivers premium snow gear to your doorstep — within the continental U.S.
It’s hard to believe a snowboard brand hasn’t done this yet. On Wednesday, snowboard company Burton said it’s launching an online rental program that’s the first of its kind.
The Vermont-based retailer will give customers the option of skipping the rental shack or avoiding the hassle of traveling with gear. Instead, Burton will deliver a full kit directly to online customers, including snowboards, boots, bindings, and outerwear.
With a “soft launch” in October, the new program was made possible by Arrive, a tech company that handles resale and rentals for brands like Burton.
“Renting instead of owning helps decouple profit from manufacturing new products, which is another step towards reducing our collective impact on the planet,” Elysa Walk, Burton’s Chief Business Officer, said. “Burton is actively pursuing an integrated program to re-sell retired rental gear, pushing the brand towards extended product lifespans and circular business models.”
Burton Rental Program Details
Customers can rent gear from Burton for several reasons. They can rent to try new equipment, skip long rental lines, gear up for specific terrain, or avoid flying with boards.
The online program lets customers choose the boards, boots, bindings, and outerwear they need. But renters still need to plan their trip ahead of time. That’s because the rentals can only be canceled up to 10 days before a trip.
Burton’s online Gear Finder can help customers find what they need from the comfort of their living room. It also has videos explaining products and a customer service team to answer questions over the phone.
Currently, rental gear only includes adult-sized equipment, though Burton said it plans to expand its offerings in future seasons. Customers can expect professionally cleaned gear that comes in “like-new” condition, the company said. Also, the gear comes with the “tools and hardware needed to get set up for adventure.”
Rental possibilities include a variety of equipment. That includes Burton’s all-around board, the Hometown Hero, its innovative Step-On boots, and a selection of outerwear.
When renters have finished shredding down mountains, they put the gear back in the original shipping box, use the included shipping label, and drop it off at any authorized UPS location.
Learn more about Burton’s new rental program.
